


Dance With Me, Ren

by The Miss Paramount (Hanamuraki)



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, Coma, Dreams, Hospitalization, I should probably stop writing fanfiction at work, I wrote this at work after watching Proof of Justice, M/M, Slow Dancing, my middle name is angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 13:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20797625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanamuraki/pseuds/The%20Miss%20Paramount
Summary: My very tiny and angst-driven contribution to Goro Week 2k19





	Dance With Me, Ren

_ “Dance with me, Ren”  _ he said and smiled. “ _ Dance with me. _ ”

Ren smiled, too. He reached out for Goro’s waist, so narrow and slender. The room was full of light and the music was soft and sweet, carrying his body gently. 

Goro looked like a prince under the chandeliers, he reached out for Ren’s hands, leading him into the dancefloor and suddenly there was only him.

Everyone else seemed so far away.

Goro’s smile was exquisite, like freshly brewed-coffee, like a sun-kissed afternoon, like the rain against glass. Ren wished this moment could last forever, so he took what seemed an eternity to drink in Goro’s image: the soft smile, the crystalline laugh, the elegance of his clothes and the compass of the music.

“Ren, you’re falling behind.” He said, twirling faster. The rhythm of the music didn’t change, but Goro seemed to like how Ren’s coat swayed every time they moved. He kept laughing.

“What is so funny?” Ren asked.

“I like this.” He answered and moved his head. “I don’t want to go.”

“Then don’t.” Ren replied. He held Goro’s hand.

“Things would have been different... “ He began saying with certain sadness as he kept leading Ren’s body with an absolute ease. “Things would have been different if I met you earlier.”

“I could have gotten you that ray gun.” Ren said. “Please don’t go.”

Goro rewarded him with another smile. He pulled Ren closer.

“My time is running out.”

“No, don’t go! I can… we can…”

“Maybe next time we can get some pancakes.”

Ren gave him a depressed smile.

“Oh, no Ren, pick it up.” He chuckled. “Let’s make the most out of my time here.”

The kiss was the most delightful and sweet thing, from the very moment he pressed his lips against Ren’s. It was a kiss made to last, both in the memory of Ren and the immortality of the taste of Leblanc’s coffee in Goro’s mouth. Their embrace was an infinitely tender thing: Ren briefly played with Goro’s hair and held him so tight he repeatedly buried his face against Goro’s collarbones.

The music turned into constant and reassuring beeps. Ren winced.

The hospital room was cold and sterile. Ren was usually there during the nights when Morgana didn’t ask him to go to bed early. That way he could partake on a little bit of Goro’s care with as little intervention from the nurses. He would arrive at 7:00 and leave by midnight and in the meantime, he would read detective novels and hoped he would wake up at any moment and retort about how stupid they sounded and how many clues they missed; then, he would exercise Goro’s limbs so his muscles won’t deteriorate further and finally, if there were no nurses in the ward, he would just lie down next to him and whisper stuff into his ears. Sometimes not even secrets: he would just sing love songs.

In return, Goro was silent and unresponsive. 

Futaba and Morgana researched the consequences of “death” in the Metaverse. Although not much was clear, the outcome was very evident in Goro. According to the doctors, he was in a very deep coma and they were only looking for ways to improve his condition. Despite the fact that Goro was in one of the best hospitals in Japan, he seldom received any visits, save from Ren and the rest of the Phantom Thieves.

***

It was almost Christmas and Ren had found the note about Proof of Justice on the crossword puzzle book in the café. He hunted for the answers he wanted and all his searches lead him to the toy store.

Proof of Justice.

He couldn’t stop thinking that Goro’s childhood was lonely and that maybe, if he had a friend, things would have been different and he would be awake and changing hearts with them. Almost without thinking, he went in and bought the toy gun. He smiled sadly. He was already late for meeting The Phantom Thieves to pay one last visit to Goro before he went to jail.

The gang was as happy and jolly as it was expected from them. While a small celebration at the hospital was not ideal, nobody objected to the decision and they even brought some presents for Goro. They had grown used to Ren spending most days by Goro’s side without questioning, without many words, he had let them know that he wished to make up for something that was not his fault. 

***

Most patients have received visits except for Goro Akechi. His room was silent and dark except for the machines that monitored his vitals. Ann, Makoto and Haru decided to inject a bit of life and brought some tinsel to put around the windows, while Futaba brought a small tree with decorations. Morgana was upset he couldn’t join them but Futaba had made sure there would be at least an ornament with his face.

“He would have been happy to see us here, right?” Yusuke said with a sly grin.

“... or mad!” Ryuji joked.

“Thanks for coming, everyone.” Ren said. “I guess he would have appreciated the gesture.”

They chatted for a while and made some jokes and for the first time in months, it looked like Goro had a family. 

They finally left Ren alone with him.

“Hey Goro, I brought you something.” He put the ray gun on top of a cabinet in front of Goro’s bed. “It’s the Proof of Justice! The cape was not included, but maybe we can get it later, huh?”

He lied next to him again and held his hand.

“I’m not going to be able to visit you for the next few months. I hope you can forgive me.” He noticed his face was red from the tears that he was fighting back. “I’m sorry.”

He stayed with him in a peaceful stasis for what seemed the whole night. He wished Goro would wake up, even just to say how much he hated being in the hospital or to challenge Ren to a game of whatever was in his mind.

Then, he clearly heard the words:

“Dance with me, Ren…”

**Author's Note:**

> This is the song I imagined that they were dancing to:  
The National - Dark Side of The Gym https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfySK7CLEEg


End file.
